


Shortly After Sunrise

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-08-05
Updated: 2006-08-05
Packaged: 2019-05-31 10:41:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15117680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: "You were everything Leo.  You swept me off my feet with your brilliance.  You were so...you captivated me.  Couldn't you tell?  And you indulged me."





	Shortly After Sunrise

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Shortly After Sunrise**

**by:** Montiese 

**Character(s):** Leo. CJ  
**Pairing(s):** Leo/CJ  
**Category(s):** AU/Romance  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Summary:** "You were everything Leo. You swept me off my feet with your brilliance. You were so...you captivated me. Couldn't you tell? And you indulged me."  
**Written:** 2005-10-09  
**Author's Note:** This is what happened the next morning after John the Baptist story ended. I felt compelled to write it though we all know the end. 

Streaks of light filtered into the room; she did not close the shade completely last night. Squinting, groaning, CJ Cregg turned over in bed, and buried her head in the closest thing she could find…Leo McGarry's chest. He wrapped his arms around her back, bending to kiss the top of her head in his sleep. 

"Bright." She muttered. 

"Shh, baby go back to sleep." 

She slid her leg between his, causing Leo to groan and shift. His erection was in an uncomfortable spot. He really did not want her to be awake. With the morning light would come the end of his illusion. She slept in his arms last night. She tickled his cheek and neck with her hair and breathed in softly when his hands caressed her breasts. Leo did not try anything, but just having his arms around her was enough. In his dreams, they sat again on the Bartlet back porch, his arm around her. She rubbed his thigh underneath the blanket and they talked of all they had been through. 

"You smell good." She murmured again, somewhere between the sleeping world and real life. 

"Thanks." 

She pressed her lips to his chest and Leo could not help but gasp. 

"You taste good too." 

"I bet you taste better." 

"Mmm, tell me." 

"It's too early for talk. C'mon CJ, we have some time left to sleep." 

Leo shifted onto his back and pulled her into his arms. 

"You can't sleep on your back." 

"I am so tired right now I can sleep on a park bench. I promise in an hour I can give you my full attention…OK, two hours." 

"I may not like you anymore in two hours." She replied. 

"There is that. It is a risk I have to take right now." 

\---------------------------------------------------------- 

When Leo woke again there was more light filtering into the room. He flopped over on his side and looked at the clock. It was quarter to eight and CJ was no longer in bed. He did not hear the shower and she was not sitting in the chair scribbling notes. He sat up on his elbows and tried to survey the room as best he could with sleepy, squinty eyes. 

"What are you doing?" 

CJ came out of the bathroom and looked at him. He smiled. 

"I was looking for you. Good morning." 

"Hey. Um, do you want coffee or something? I think I am calling room service this morning. We got the morning off and I don't have to report until eleven. I plan to enjoy every minute of it." 

Leo lay back against the pillows. She sounded business as usual…the illusion was over. 

"Did you sleep alright?" she asked, sitting down in the chair and scanning the breakfast menu. 

"I guess so." 

"You snored a bit." 

"I don't think that's true." 

"It is true. Do you want an omelet or something?" 

"I'm not hungry." 

"You have to eat something Leo." 

"I just want you to come back to bed so I can hold you." He said. 

"Its morning." 

"You said you didn't have anywhere to be until eleven." 

"And if I do come back to bed, you'll just hold me." 

"No, I will kiss you." 

"What else?" 

"Caress you." 

"Where?" CJ asked. 

"Anywhere you want." 

"What else?" 

"Make love to you." 

"Fuck me?" 

"No, make love to you Claudia Jean." 

"Well, with an offer like that, how can a girl say no?" 

"I have a feeling you will find a way." Leo said. 

"It was one night Leo; one last…whatever." 

"Check out isn't until noon. So that is when our night ends." 

CJ had to laugh. 

"You are completely changing the perimeters of the discussion." 

"I love you CJ. I want you back in this bed and I want to show you how much." 

She rolled her eyes and climbed back into the bed. She wrapped her arms around Leo's neck. 

"How many times are we going to have to hurt each other before we get the point and just stop?" she asked. 

"I am never going to stop. How many different ways can I say I love you?" 

"How many different ways can I tell you it is not going to work." 

"You're not even willing to try?" 

"It was 12 years ago. I was a grad student and you were, God you were…" 

"What?" 

"You were everything Leo. You swept me off my feet with your brilliance. You were so…you captivated me. Couldn't you tell? And you indulged me. But I am a grown woman now and things are different." 

"Indulged you? CJ, I was in love with you then. I didn't want to tell you because you were going back to California and your whole life. I couldn't put all of that on you. I had enough of my own shit to deal with. I couldn't love you like you needed to be loved anyway." 

"And now you can?" CJ asked. 

"Yes. With all my heart and soul yes. Marry me CJ." 

"Excuse me?" 

"Marry me; nothing would make me happier." 

"Leo…" 

She tried to pull away but he would not let her. 

"It's a yes or no question." He said. 

"It is not!" CJ exclaimed. 

"Yes, it is." 

"Leo, no one has ever proposed to me before. This is serious for me." 

"I know it is a serious question, but it is still yes or no question." 

"No it isn't." she slapped his chest. "That is such a man thing to say. I mean, come on. There is always maybe, people have the right to say maybe. I mean, it is yes, but it's more than that." 

"What? Did you just say yes?" 

"I did…I said yes." 

He kissed her and CJ could not help but smile. Oh God, she had accepted his proposal. They had no ring; her father did not even know this man. None of her friends knew him either. She could imagine the conversation when she called home. _Um, hey daddy. No, the campaign trail is fantastic. I am calling because I'm engaged. That's right, to a man you have never met before in your life and I know you won't like him. He is 20 years older than I am; he is a recovering alcoholic, and my boss. We also had an affair about 12 years ago. Remember when I went to Oxford…?_

"I love you CJ. I love you so much." 

Leo kissed her and CJ sighed. What the hell had just happened? She had no idea what just transpired. 

"We are going to walk into the staff meeting this morning and just tell everyone we are engaged?" CJ asked. 

"Who does not already know about us?" he asked. "Let us count on one hand, shall we?" 

"Does the Governor know Leo? Does he know about Oxford?" 

"He does know about Oxford. He doesn't know about the past twelve years." 

"What about the last twelve years?" 

"That I have picked up the phone to call you a thousand and one times. That I dream about you and reach for you in my sleep CJ. That I have wanted to get a plane ticket to LA, knock on your door, and ask you for another chance." 

"What! Leo, are you serious?" 

"We are going to be happy CJ." He whispered. 

"In the White House? As Chief of Staff and whatever I am going to be…if I am going to be anything. And what if we lose?" 

"Josiah Bartlet has never lost an election. There is a great need for people like you in DC if he were to this time. And I am still turning down offers. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." 

God, so did she. She wanted to lie in bed talking at night, and drink coffee in the morning while arguing about articles in the _New York Times_. They could hold hands and he would whisper his love for her in her ear every night before she fell asleep. There would be baths, car trips, and eventually parent-teacher conferences. She would massage the kinks from his neck and back and he would rub her feet. They would have horrible fights where CJ threw dishes and Leo's yelling rattled the windows. How could a woman not want that? She was so in love with him she was almost nauseous. 

"I love you." She said, pulling him into a kiss. 

Leo gathered up her nightgown and pulled it over her head. He pulled her close again; nothing could compare to the feel of her skin on his. How had he gone for so long without feeling it? He pulled her on top of him stopping for a moment. 

"What?" she asked, pushing strands of hair out of her face. 

"I just want to look at you, just for a second. You're so beautiful." 

"Oh Leo." 

She leaned to kiss him again and they stayed that way for a while. They both needed more, but they enjoyed the intimacy of kissing so much. CJ slid down some, kissing his neck and chest as Leo moaned softly. She nipped his skin with her teeth and he arched up off the bed. Taking the elastic of his boxers, CJ started to pull them down his legs. He was not happy with the loss of contact but he knew she would be back. 

"CJ?" 

"Hmm?" 

"I really love you." 

"I know." 

Leo rolled them over so that CJ was lying on her back. He began to kiss her breasts, enjoying the noises she made. He pinched her nipple and sucked it into his mouth. CJ shut her eyes and tried not to cry out…Toby was right next door and surely up working on his speech. He made love to her breasts for what seemed like forever, as if they had all day just to play. CJ pushed his head down and Leo laughed a bit before kissing and trailing his tongue across her stomach. 

"I need you." She whispered when she felt his breath warm on her sex. 

Damn, Leo was good at it. He was slow and methodical, bringing her to the edge at least three times before he allowed her to freefall. 

"Leo!" she exclaimed, gripping his shoulders as shockwaves took over her very core. 

He was kissing her thighs and licking her skin, driving her insane until she thought she was going to come again. But CJ brought him back to her and kissed his mouth so thoroughly that she tasted herself, him, and the soda he had the night before. 

"Oh baby, I want you." 

She spread her legs more for him, lifting her thighs and hips and that smile came to his face again. That 'damn, you're beautiful' smile that made her melt and want to do nothing more than to surrender to his every whim. That was dangerous. He slid into her easily; CJ was more than ready. 

"Oh God." She whimpered, holding him close as he started moving. 

They found the rhythm quickly, like always, and Leo sat up on the palms of his hands so he could see her face as he made love to her. 

"Open your eyes baby." 

"I can't." 

"Open them. You can do it CJ." 

She did, and he saw the tears. She reached up to caress his face as he moved in and out of her with more tenderness than he had ever expressed. 

"Leo." It was a whisper and a whine. 

"Oh Claudia Jean, oh God, you are so good." 

"Don't ever stop." 

The strokes came faster; he was almost there. When he began to massage her clit, CJ thought she had died and gone to heaven. 

"Leo!" 

Again she called his name and her body tightened around him. Clawing at his back CJ came. Leo was right on her heels, moaning his pleasure before bringing his body down onto hers. He could hear her trying to hold back the tidal wave of emotion; get herself in check. He had never seen a woman so moved by lovemaking and it made him fall in love with her all over again…every time. 

"That was wonderful." She said. "It is always wonderful." 

"That's because it is you and me CJ. It doesn't always have to be backbreaking. Though I will not complain one bit about back-breaking." 

She laughed, kissing him softly and running her fingers through his hair. 

"We will try to kill each other, you know that right?" 

"Mmm hmm. But we will never stop loving each other and never stop making up." 

"Are you sure about that?" CJ asked. 

"Yes. It is magnetism, pure and simple Claudia Jean. Magnetism and fate from the day you walked into my classroom." 

CJ sighed as Leo pulled out and fell onto the bed. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye…a blend of fear, love, and afterglow bliss covering her like a blanket. Leo wished he could be more articulate; tell her how she meant everything. He did not know how; he didn't even know why. The love he felt for CJ was overwhelming and out of his hands. It always had been. Leo had been truthful when he said he thought of her everyday for the past 12 years or so. He wished he told her that he loved her that day in Heathrow. What good would it have done? She would have still gotten on the plane and he was an alcoholic not even close to getting himself together. 

"What are you thinking?" she asked suddenly. 

"I really do need coffee. That omelet sounds good too." 

"I told you that you were hungry. You don't eat enough Leo and you definitely don't get enough sleep." 

"Stop it CJ. I'm fine, just hungry. I'll have you know that I slept like a baby just last night. I have a feeling tonight will be good too." 

She got out of bed, walking across the room naked as Leo watched with a grin. Yeah, seeing that everyday would keep the blood pumping through his veins. 

"I am going to be Mrs. McGarry and I say you need to take better care of yourself." 

"Uh oh. I brought this on myself, didn't I?" 

She turned and winked. 

"You certainly did. What kind of omelet do you want?" 

Leo said whatever she ordered was fine, as long as there was plenty of coffee. He got up from bed, kissed CJ once more, and went into the shower. She went into the bathroom to freshen up before breakfast arrived. 

"Come on in here baby." He said. 

"I should be telling you to hurry up; breakfast should be here quickly." 

Leo stepped out of the shower, wrapping his arms around CJ from behind. 

"Leo!" she squealed. "You're soaking wet! You'll get me all wet!" 

He turned her around, opening her robe and sliding his naked body against hers. CJ squealed again but it was lost in his kiss. Leo's hands slid over her body and she pressed against the sink. Reaching for the bathrobe behind her, CJ held it out for him. Nothing was harder than putting an arm's length between them. 

"Dry off McGarry. I have to do the same." 

There was a knock on the door as Leo walked into the bedroom. He told CJ he would get it and he opened the door. Larry stared at him, managing to put on a smile. 

"Good morning Leo." 

"Hey Larry. Do you need to see CJ?" 

"I think she is a bit busy right now, so I'll come back. Maybe I will just talk to her on the plane. Just tell her I stopped by and I need to talk about the California 14th, 12th, and 9th." 

"OK." 

"See ya." Leo said with a wave. 

"Leopold, where is my breakfast?" CJ asked, coming out of the bathroom. She froze when she saw Larry. 

"I'm just leaving." He said. 

"No, what do you need?" 

Leo walked away from the door as CJ came to it. 

"What's going on?" 

"The Governor wants me to do some congressional liaison work for the California trip. I thought we could sit down and discuss some of the problems we are facing out there. We'll just do it on the plane back to New Hampshire, OK?" 

"Yeah. I'm sorry." 

"For what? I'll see you later princess." 

CJ smiled as he squeezed her hand. Breakfast arrived and CJ pushed the tray into the room. Leo was relaxing in bed and she threw him the _Chicago Times_. 

"Complimentary newspaper." She said. 

"Oh perfect. Was that horrible baby?" 

"No. Larry knows about us…it is the reason why it did not work out between the two of us. Come and eat before it gets cold. C'mon." 

They sat at the table, he reading the paper and she scribbling notes in her legal pad. It would only be a matter of minutes before the whole damn world invaded her room. The era of any kind of privacy ended last night after the speech. Faster than the Senior Staff would find out about the engagement, one of the papers would have it. They were all lurking around and one lucky photographer surely saw him come to her room last night and never leave. It would probably be in the papers before they had a chance to prepare a statement. CJ knew that Leo had a daughter and an ex; there were things that needed to be discussed. They both would bring plenty of baggage to the table. 

"You look spellbound. What are you thinking?" 

"Nothing." 

Leo smirked. 

"I don't think that has ever been so." He reached for her hand. "Tell me CJ." 

She smiled, biting her bottom lip. 

"I am thinking about the next stop…the California trip. Larry and I have a lot of work to sift through on the plane ride home. I have to keep Mandy from trying to put the Governor in a denim jacket and a Nirvana rocks button. They are all going to bother me this morning when all I want is to lie in bed with you." 

"I can leave after breakfast. I don't want to, but we have to put the work first." 

"I don't want you to." CJ replied. 

She also did not want to put the work first. She knew that was going to be the main hurdle in their relationship and she refused to ruin her morning of bliss by talking about it right now. Leo grinned. 

"Once my stomach is full and I make love to you again, I will be prepared to leave you to your work. I believe that I have some shopping to do anyway. And there is a break coming for the next couple of days…we will have some time together." 

"I want to get back to that making love comment." 

Leo stood, helped her up from her chair, and held her close. 

"Are you finished with your breakfast?" he asked. 

"No, but I no longer care about it." 

She smiled as Leo took her back to the bed. 


End file.
